1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting apparatus and connecting method in which web materials paid out from a plurality of rolls are connected, and in particular, to a connecting apparatus and connecting method wherein the tail end side portion of web material from one roll and the lead end side portion of web material from another roll can be connected automatically.
2. Description of the Back Ground Art
Conventionally, there is used a label laminating apparatus in which a roll of web material having a plurality of labels on a release liner, is set to a predetermined. position, and the web material is paid out from the roll, the labels are peeled off therefrom one by one and stuck to objects to be applied therewith. In the above apparatus, when the web material has been paid out and the roll is replaced with a new one, such troublesome operation is required. That is, the lead end of the web material from the new roll replaced has to be set to the initial position. Accordingly, there resides such problem that the operating efficiency of the label laminating apparatus is reduced.
In order to solve the above problem, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a connecting apparatus, which is disclosed in a patent document (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-332146). The connecting apparatus is arranged to connect the tail end side portion of a paid out web material to the lead end portion of web material to be paid out subsequently using a connecting piece.